No rugby union game has been produced for four years since Rugby 08, which was also developed by HB Studios, then under the EA Sports label. It was announced on 29 March 2010 that The Rugby Forum and its members, would help HB studios gain a better understanding of what the general rugby-supporting public wanted in the new title.[3]

For the first time in the series of rugby games developed by HB Studios, the title will have a player editor, but it is limited to attributes and names only.

This mode, which is the only area of the game in which most of the official stadia appear, is based entirely on the real-life tournament. As such it can be competed in as any of the 20 participating teams, with a schedule of pool matches to match the actual tournament (although users can also choose to have the pools re-drawn randomly, as game developers try to extend the game’s longevity by providing reason for players to complete the tournament more than once). This is the only mode on the game which allows for full-length matches to be played in the official tournament jerseys.

This mode allows for contests between any of the 20 included teams, at any stadium included in the game (except those stadia exclusive to the ‘Tournament Mode’). Similar to one-off matches in the FIFA series, for example, the match situation is a ‘one-off friendly’ and can be taken to a combination of extra-time and/or a place-kick shootout if the scores are tied after the last play of the match.

This mode allows users to take a team on a tour of teams in their opposite hemispheres, although to play the stronger sides the user must first complete two tours of weaker nations. For example, to tour to the Tri-Nations teams with a northern hemisphere team, the user must first complete a 'Pacific Islands Tour', encountering Tonga, Samoa and Fiji; and also a 'South Atlantic Tour', encountering Namibia and Argentina. To tour to the Six Nations countries with a southern hemisphere team, the user must again complete two tours: 'North American Tour', meeting United States and Canada; and then 'Eastern Tour', meeting Romania, Russia, Georgia and Japan.

The game features all twenty international teams competing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. However, only ten of the teams are officially licensed. Teams such as the All Blacks (New Zealand), and the Wallabies (Australia), are unlicensed due to their exclusive licensing deal with rival video game Rugby Challenge.

Game Breakers rated the game as 3/5,[5] stating it was "the most accurate depiction of rugby football" they'd ever played - but criticize the game for its lack of updates compared to HB Studios' previous Rugby 08 title. IGN rated the game a 5/10.[6] The review cited poor graphics, lack of game modes/content, and lack of licensing as the main flaws. Thunderbolt Games criticized the controls, the camera angle, and the omission of a tutorial; resulting in a 6/10.[7] IT News Africa gave the game a 7.5/10,[8] with their only negative being a plethora of minor issues. JOE.ie rated the game a 3/5,[9] and criticized the high price for such a small amount of content.